03. THE OWNER OF THE CASTLE

VALERIA

I hear piercing screams, the sound of shattering glass, a savage roar, an Alpha's growls, struggling, and fighting.

Something hot splashes against my face and arms.

My claws shred, and my canines tear.

I can't stop. I can't. Rage consumes me from the inside, demanding release.

I don't know what I'm doing. I'm not conscious of myself.

All I know is that when I regain control of my body, the first thing I see is my blood-soaked hands.

I'm kneeling on the floor, everything around me drenched in red, wreckage, and pieces of what once was a powerful Alpha—Dorian.

What have I done? What in the name of the Goddess have I done?!

I stare at his severed head, lying just a meter away from me.

Those honey-colored eyes still stare back at me in frozen terror, and I feel bile rising in my throat.

I vomit to the side, unable to hold it back, disgusted by this scene of death and violence.

Did I do all this? There's no one else here.

I scan the area, not knowing where Sophia went.

The only thing I'm sure of is that someone was thrown through the shattered glass window, the jagged edges stained with blood.

I stand up on trembling legs, glance down, but all I see is the forest behind the house and bloodstains across the grass.

"Don't let her escape! Sophia, stop crying and tell me clearly what happened!" Voices shouted, hurried footsteps ascending the stairs.

It was my mother-in-law's voice.

I had to get out of here. I had killed the Alpha, and only a painful death awaited me.

Desperately, I looked down. It seemed I had thrown that wretch Sophia out the window.

I decided to jump out myself, from the second floor.

BAM!

The door burst open during my hesitation, and my eyes locked with Anaís, my mother-in-law, the former Luna—Dorian's mother.

I saw the shock, the pain, and the fury in her eyes as she took in the scene.

"You miserable bitch! You killed my son! You murdered my Dorian, you whore! Seize her! Restrain her! I'm going to tear her apart with my bare hands!"

She screamed, and the warriors behind her charged at me.

I jumped without thinking.

"Aaagghhh!" I groaned in pain as I crashed onto the grass, rolling over, but I forced my body to shift into my wolf form and ran with all the strength I had left.

I fled into the forest as fast as my weakened legs allowed, escaping death.

I don't know if it was adrenaline or sheer will to live, but I ran like a madwoman through unfamiliar lands and tangled woods.

Days passed that way, where I only stopped to rest when I was on the verge of collapse, drinking water from mountain streams and feeding on prey that somehow appeared dead before me.

Yes, yet another strange thing about my life.

The few times I dared to close my eyes, every time I woke up, a small dead animal lay in front of my muzzle.

I devoured them without knowing if they were poisonous or where they came from—I just needed energy.

All I could think about was surviving.

One night, I felt them again. I thought they had grown tired of chasing my trail, but that wasn’t the case.

The sound of multiple wolves' footsteps echoed not far away.

Desperation and exhaustion consumed me—I couldn't keep running forever.

I had been skirting the borders of various packs, trying not to get caught, but that wasn't a solution.

"She's just ahead! I can smell her! That damn bitch will pay for this!" I heard a snarl—already so close to my trail.

I could practically feel the danger breathing down my neck as I pushed my legs and lungs past their limit.

I was done. They were going to catch me after all this effort.

Then I lifted my blue eyes and saw them—above me, a flock of crows.

Cawing, circling over my wolf form, as if trying to lead me somewhere.

And for some reason, I followed them.

I followed their sign and ventured deeper into unfamiliar lands—into the forbidden forest where no one dared enter without an invitation.

But I had nothing left to lose.

If I was going to die, at least let it be quick and without torture.

That's how I crossed through the mist, leading me to the Golden Moon pack, the territory guarded by the Guardians—the land ruled by the Lycan King.

*****

I felt like no one was following me anymore.

I had no idea how far I had gone into Golden Moon territory, but suddenly, several powerful warriors blocked my path, surrounding me.

"Who are you, and why have you trespassed into our pack?" a massive gray wolf asked coldly, approaching me menacingly.

The black wolf I shifted into, so small and fragile, would be considered an Omega—the lowest rank in the pack, the weakest, often reduced to servitude.

That was why, when I became Luna, I had felt foolishly grateful to Dorian.

"I'm only seeking refuge to rest… I’m sorry for entering your forest. Just a few days, please… I only need a few days to recover and leave."

I pleaded, praying my pursuers wouldn't dare follow me here.

"Where do you come from? Speak! Why did you cross the Forbidden Forest? No one comes here for no reason! Tell the truth, or I'll rip your head off right now!"

He growled, shoving me with his shoulder. I let out a low whimper of pain, unable to resist.

Before he could take further action or carry out his threats, darkness consumed my vision, and I felt my body collapse unconscious to the ground.

Maybe this time, I wouldn't wake up again.

*****

The next time I opened my eyes, I was in a dark, damp cell, wearing tattered clothes barely covering my battered human body.

Only the Goddess knows how I'm still alive.

It seems she wants me to suffer—slowly and torturously.

BAM!

The sound of a metal door slamming jolted me.

"So, you're finally awake! Take her out!" A massive, bald, intimidating man ordered two guards, who dragged me out.

It was that gray wolf.

I didn’t even have the strength to walk, let alone resist.

They took me to a small room where the questioning began—trying to dominate me with his Alpha presence.

But it didn’t work. I had no inner wolf to submit.

I spent hours there, sitting on a hard chair, my hands tied behind me with ropes cutting into my skin.

No matter how much freezing water they threw at me, how much they shouted or threatened, I kept my story and waited to die.

My head hung limply, eyes closed, exhausted.

At least they hadn’t beaten me or done worse.

I've heard horrible stories about this pack of barbarians.

"Fine. Since you refuse to talk, you know what awaits you. I've given you the chance to confess." His dark eyes locked on mine, giving me his final warning, but I had nothing more to say.

He drew a dagger, yanked my hair back, exposing my neck, ready to slit my throat.

I saw hesitation in his eyes when my black hair fell away, revealing my hideous scars.

Maybe I looked pitiful—but he had a job to do. And I was ready for it to end.

The dagger lowered, and I resigned myself.

But a knock on the door interrupted my death once again, sending my emotions from one extreme to the other.

"Now what the hell…? M-Madam… I mean, Housekeeper, what brings you here?" His previously harsh voice turned nearly submissive.

Curious, I looked toward the door and saw a short woman with blonde hair tied up neatly, elegant yet stern.

"What were you doing here?" Her cold green eyes fixed on mine, and I lowered my head.

"She’s an intruder. Pack business—"

"You were going to kill her, weren’t you?" she accused.

"M-Madam, can we discuss this outside? It's protocol with intruders—"

I heard his words stop short as a pair of black boots entered the room, standing right before me.

"What's your name, girl?"

"Valeria," I whispered weakly.

"Look at me when I speak to you!" she ordered, and I lifted my head.

She has a superior, imposing aura, and honestly, I think she's more terrifying than the massive brute.

"Tell me, Valeria, do you want to live or die? You can survive if you agree to work for me. If not, pretend you never saw me," she offered, leaving me stunned.

"W-what kind of work would it be?"

"Work for the Guardians, in the castle kitchen or wherever you're needed—as a maid. I offer you shelter and food in exchange, a new chance to live," she said without breaking eye contact.

I hesitated, feeling like I was selling my soul to a ruthless witch.

The Guardians were the Lycans, and the worst of them all was their leader, Aldric, the "Specter Slayer," whom all werewolves considered their king, though he didn’t seem to care about the title.

"I don't have all day. Are you coming or not?" she pressed.

"Housekeeper, this woman is a stranger… how can she enter the castle with the Guardians? We don't know her intentions—"

"I don't care why you entered these cursed lands. Your past stays behind if you accept my offer. But if you betray me or plot anything behind my back, slitting your throat will be the least of my punishments," the woman threatened, leaving me with only a second to decide.

Live or die.

Start anew in a strange place, possibly filled with more humiliation and suffering—or die now and end my miserable existence.

"I'll go with you. I accept the job," I finally chose to survive.

*****

The Golden Moon pack was located in a valley, surrounded by dense forest with thick fog, and perched atop a hill in the distance was an imposing ancient stone castle.

We traveled there in a carriage, rolling along cobblestone streets.

This pack was massive, far more powerful than my former one.

I remained silent the entire way, my black hair always hiding the scars on my face, my head bowed, not wanting to draw attention.

The enormous ebony doors opened, carved stone walls rising tall and powerful, with strange statues perched on the dark eaves.

At last, we arrived at an inner courtyard, and I stepped down from the carriage with some discomfort.

I stared at the looming castle, half-shrouded in mist, more nightmarish than inviting.

"Come. I'll give you your uniform and show you your room," she ordered, and I followed her inside.

The moment we crossed the entrance, we were greeted by a massive hall.

A chandelier filled with candles hung in the center, illuminating the spiraling staircases that seemed to stretch endlessly upward.

I was distracted for a moment, staring at the glossy black-and-white marble floor, when something seemed to fall from the ceiling.

BAM!

I stumbled back, startled, barely containing a scream of pure panic as a woman's naked corpse crashed at my feet.

She was headless, and blood still gushed from her severed neck, staining the entire floor—and even my legs.

The head rolled down next, lifeless eyes frozen in a horrified expression.

I looked up, trembling, and at the top of the stairs, a pair of gray, lupine, savage eyes stared back at me for a few seconds, chilling my blood to the core.